kingairip

Somebody from AA help me to make sure I have this right. In another thread (the AA non rev thread), it was suggested that commuting AA pilots have to pay a fee to sit in the back of the plane. They said the Jumpseat is free IF the plane is completely full. If the plane is not full, then, officially, the commuter has to pay a fee of around $12 because he's considered a non-revver. That can't be right, can it? US has a LOT of commuters. I'm pretty certain that dog won't hunt with them.

EMBFlyer

I know there have been discussions to go with US Jumpseat procedures and policies. It seems as if most AA guys are very receptive to it.

450knotOffice

AA has a lot of commuters too. I'm one of them.

Anybody with five or more years of seniority pays no fee to sit in Coach. Less than five years, the fee is charged.

You have the process correct. For example, a pilot who lives in DEN who is based in DFW, would list himself as a D2 non rev for the flight, just as any employee would. If there are seats available, the pilot will get a seat and be charged as any non rev would. If the pilot decides to torture himself and actually ask for the jumpseat on a less than full flight, he will be charged the non rev coach fare for that flight, even though he's in the JS. If the flight is full, and the pilot gets the flight deck JS, then there is no fee.

lolwut

Hahahah wait, you guys pay... to... nonrev???

Thats something that even bargain basement regionals don't have to do.

Talk about lowering the bar and setting a very scary standard.

450knotOffice

The bar wasn't lowered. It's always been that way at AA. Trust me, in terms of fees, nobody here is satisfied with the system. Hopefully, it'll change.

YourFnout

I know Delta pays $50/yr and so do regional pilots using Delta benefits.

Hopefully we use Airways JS policy. I no longer commute, but enjoyed US's system, it really took the stress out of it.

aa73

It's a sad reality at AA, and it's always been that way. A gent by the name of Robert L. Crandall years ago went on a mission to create the "everyone's equal" employee philosophy at AA. So, pilots are equal to F/As who are equal to gate agents who are equal to rampers. Everyone pays to sit in coach inside of 5 years of employment. Why should the pilots get "special treatment?"

I'm getting side tracked here... Basically, you have it correct: if you haven't completed 5 years as a pilot yet, and are trying to D2 (non rev)... you cannot simply "list for the jumpseat" to get out of the non rev fees. That would enrage the F/As and other employees who have no choice but to pay - and hey, we're all equals here, right?? Therefore, young grasshopper, if there are open seats in the back, you WILL get charged - even if you choose to sit in the j/s.

After 5 years, DOMESTIC coach is free. INTL coach, ya still gotta pay a fee. First class, fuhggedaboudit - you will always get charged riding in First, no matter your years of service.

It's total and utter B.S. and drives us crazy. Now, we finally have a chance to change it, and are VERY receptive to USAir's friendly non rev/jumpseat policy. We are very confident this will change now that the merger is going through.

It's like the Obamacare for non revving.

kingairip

So, offline pilot jumpseaters (which I've been one many times on AA) sit on the plane for free while an American pilot pays to ride. That is insane.

Not sure why you think it will change. The mantra is "adopt and go" with the larger system. AA is certainly the larger company. Why would the company make an exception in this case (since it would cost the company money)? Parker can run an airline...but, he doesn't have a habit of throwing much loose change at employees.

VenetianFryCook

US Airways has always been (justifiably) proud of their nonrev and jumpseat policies. I strongly suspect, given the 70/30 split in favor of US executives to the merged carrier, that the US nonrev program will be the one on which the merged airline's system is based.

APA seems favorably inclined toward the US jumpseat system, which we all like at US, so the momentum there is to keep it.

As for Parker not wanting to throw money at employees ... true, to a point. However, Parker also realizes that he can earn some points at little to no cost to him in areas like this. Case in point: until two years ago, employees who bought ED20s (discounted positive-space tickets) had to pay checked baggage fees like any other customer. At a CLT Town Hall (I was in the room at the time), a pilot asked him why he had to pay to check bags on his own airline after paying for a ticket, when he could non-rev and check bags for free.

I fully expected Parker to give him the typical answer about how it costs money to handle his bags, etc. To my surprise, Parker thought about it for a moment, and said to the guy, "You're right. That's not fair, and I'm going to get it changed or tell you why I can't." It took a few months to reprogram Shares appropriately, but now, US Airways employees and their families who buy ED20 tickets can check bags at no charge. It was a small thing, but it was also something Parker could easily have blown off. Like any employee, I don't agree with everything our management team does, but that day Parker & Co. earned some "street cred" with me.

Stetson29

USAPA has confirmed this and claim this issue is to be addressed at the next company meeting.